Dispatch - 1-01-07

Lioness

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at approximately 3 o’clock, Food Runners Volunteer, TinyKate flashed her official badge at the Kaiser Hospital loading dock on O’Farrell between Divisadero and Lyon. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at approximately 3 o’clock, Kaiser Security buzzed her in. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at approximately 3 o’clock, members of the Kaiser kitchen staff helped tiny Kate load her car with the excess food of the day that they’d set aside for donation to Food Runners. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at approximately 3 o’clock, Tiny Kate, accompanied by her faithful dog, Lola, peeled out of the Kaiser Hospital loading dock, to take the food to various shelters in the Tenderloin. Tiny Kate probably drove faster than she should and she probably was not as aware as she should have been of simple suggestions like lane demarcations. Tiny Kate was 83 years old and at 4’10” could barely see over the steering wheel. Tiny Kate had been running food as a Food Runners volunteer since the founding of Food Runners is 1987. About a year ago, the call came. “Nancy,” Tiny Kate growled in her gravel pit voice, “I had a mild heart attack or something and I’m in the hospital. Will you be sure to cover my runs? I don’t know when the doctors will let me drive again.” Tiny Kate was very annoyed. I assured her that her runs would be taken care of until she was ready to resume them.

To Tiny Kate’s consternation, her failing health precluded her from ever doing another food run. Offers were made to have another Food Runners volunteer drive her, but feisty and stubborn, she declined. She only wanted to ride with Lola. Tiny Kate and I spoke briefly in August. She was anxious that the recipients from her former runs were still receiving food. They were (are). Tiny Kate died on Friday, January 8 5th , in her Pacific Heights home with Lola laying at her feet as was her wish. Tiny Kate was 85. She may have been small, but she left a large legacy of community service in her wake. I doubt she’d care terribly about being missed as long as her “people” are still getting food. Tenacious until the end and truly a lion in the body of a chihuahua, Tiny Kate will be fondly remembered with a smile and a chuckle by all those she touched while in service for Food Runners. Food Runners picked up an amazing 1,263,882 pounds of food in the year 2006. Food Runners picked up and delivered 106,275 pounds of food in the month of December. Volunteers performed 636 runs and the truck did 189. Food Runners added, 4 new donors and 2 new recipients in the month of December. Many thanks to Frontier Ventures who donated 120 frozen turkeys during the holidays. The turkeys allowed St. Anthony’s Dining Room to make a holiday meal a little more traditional. Food Runners is looking forward to bringing ever more “food to the people” in 2007. The food is there. The need is there. Together with dedicated donors and caring, citizen volunteers, Food Runners joyfully continues its 20 year old mission to decrease hunger in San Francisco.

Remember to spread the word to your local restaurants, grocery stores and businesses that there is no need to throw away food.

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Food rescue by a smiling Food Runners volunteer is just a phone call away at 415-929-1866.

Happy New Year,

Nancy

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